Why Baker Mayfield would have been a colossal failure with the Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have their presumptive franchise quarterback in C.J. Stroud, but there was a brief period between 2021 and 2023 when they did not.

What’s more the Texans could have made the wrong call and got involved with former Cleveland Browns first-round quarterback Baker Mayfield.

The former Oklahoma Sooner was on his way out with the Browns in 2022 as Cleveland had acquired his replacement. There was at least a possibility in theory the former 2018 No. 1 overall pick could come to Houston and challenge Davis Mills for the starting job.

It is a great thing the Texans said no to Mayfield at every step of the way.

The current Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal caller met with reporters Wednesday and revealed a little more as to why he would have been grating for Clutch City sports fans.

Mayfield led the Bucs to a 20-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 1. When talk of Mayfield picking up on the defense’s signals came up, the Austin Lake Travis High School alumnus switched subjects.

“I’m a Texas Rangers fan, not a Houston Astros fan,” Mayfield said via Greg Auman.

Imagine a Rangers fan as the quarterback of the Texans amid a 2022 campaign wherein Houston went 3-13-1 and fumble the No. 1 overall pick in Week 18. All the while the Astros are collecting a second World Series, and leaving all the signal talk in the trash can.

One of the great aspects about the city of Houston is how the Astros, Texans, and Houston Rockets all seem to be pulling for each other. Hakeem Olajuwon is in Texans gear for playoff games. J.J. Watt or DeMeco Ryans are wearing Astros gear as they throw out the first pitch at Minute Maid Park. Even if players may have had other sports loyalties before coming to Houston, they are smart enough to know to suspend them as the Texans, Astros, and Rockets run the show.

There couldn’t have been a worse scenario for last year than to have a Rangers fan taking sacks and throwing interceptions for 17 games — and not get the No. 1 pick to boot.